Newfound Knowledge
by writable
Summary: Javier Esposito tapped his fingers upon his thigh uncomfortably. He was never one to make conversation. It was in, arrest, out. Discussion never entered the picture. One shot; Castle and Esposito talk.


_he eyed kate at his;_** newfound knowledge.**

"So, you're name's Richard?"

Javier Esposito tapped his fingers upon his thigh uncomfortably. He was never one to make conversation. It was in, arrest, out. Discussion never entered the picture.

Rick nodded awkwardly, before responding.

"And you're Esposito?" he asked.

Esposito nodded in response, glancing around the room.

"So how long did you say you've known Kate?" Castle continued, leaning forward in his chair. The precinct wasn't the best place for an unplanned one on one, but neither Beckett nor Ryan had arrived from the crime scene yet, so there wasn't much to do.

"Long enough to know to call her Beckett," the detective replied, raising an eyebrow. He grinned slightly, the unnerving manner of the situation slowly fading.

"I see," Rick said, gazing at the floor, "Can I ask you a question?"

He glanced up expectantly at Javier's face, whose eyes widened in reply.

"Shoot," he answered.

"Okay. Ignore me if I'm being too evasive, but how does one work with a woman of such…of such…" He paused for a moment, realizing the best way to describe Kate would be to use a gesture. He thrust his hands in the air, moving them fluidly to symbolize the female figure.

Esposito chuckled, glancing at the floor.

"I've worked with her for years, enough to know that she's not my type."

- s t a r t f l a s h b a c k -

"_Hey, so, uh, Kate?"_

"_Beckett."_

"_Yeah, sorry, Beckett," Esposito corrected, "How about I take you to dinner some time? You know, away from all the papers, and dead people." He winked, unsuccessfully attempting to seduce Kate. _

_She looked up abruptly, taken aback by her new co-worker's forwardness. _

"_How about you don't, and we'll say this never happened?" she answered, smiling uncomfortably. She took the papers from the copier, and walked away, her high heels echoing on the tile. _

_Esposito stood at the copier, in but Kate's mere shadow, and dropped his head into his hands. _

"_I'm such an idiot," he muttered._

_-_ e n d f l a s h b a c k -

"She totally blew you off, didn't she?" Castle asked, grinning.

"_Oh _yeah."

Rick chuckled, the deep, booming laugh rumbling in the precinct.

"It wasn't awkward afterwards?" Castle continued after his laughter subsided, truly intrigued.

"Nah," Esposito replied, waving his hand. "Beckett's good like that. If you want her to forget, she'll forget. You want her to remember, she'll remember." He glanced at the floor suddenly, in sorrow. "But sometimes, she remembers things she _should_ forget."

"Her mother's death?" Rick inquired.

"Yeah. Took one heck of a toll on that girl."

"She's still not over it?"

"Have you met the girl?" Esposito asked it disbelief, "She wears the grief on her forehead. I mean, we've tried to get her to reopen the case, but, well, she doesn't exactly do well with that."

He scratched his neck in uncomfortable remembrance.

"But she won't live it down unless the killer's caught," he finished, pursing his lips. He leaned over abruptly, glancing around.

"You've no idea what you did for that girl with your books. That Storm guy – "

"Derek."

"Yeah, him…Got Beckett through her entire mother's death. I mean, she's still not _fully_ over it, like I said, but, I don't even know where she'd be if she hadn't read your books."

Rick gleamed in pride, his chest puffing up, his chin jutting out just a tad.

Esposito leaned back in his chair.

"But if you tell her I said that, I swear I'll shoot you and say you had been trying to mug me." He raised his left eyebrow challengingly, a grin spreading across his face.

"Scout's honor," Rick replied, smirking.

The door of the precinct opened with a satisfying creak as two figures emerged from the hall.

"Esposito," Beckett greeted, nodding. "_Castle," _she hissed. Ryan strode up behind her, and grinned slightly.

"Good to see you too, Ka-"

He glanced over at Esposito, whose eyes were wide with warning.

"I-I mean, Beckett."

"Mhm."

She eyed Castle carefully, suspiciously. She sighed, not being able to find anything wrong.

"We have a case…do you want to go check out the crime scene?" she looked into Rick's eyes, expectant.

"I'd love to," he replied as he stood and grabbed the coat from the chair he had previously been sitting on.

Esposito stood, and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Castle," he declared, smiling.

"The pleasure's all mine," Rick replied, returning the handshake. He eyed Kate at his newfound knowledge.

"The pleasure's _all_ mine."


End file.
